The Story of Troy Davis Adds Another Sad Chapter

Whether you think Troy Davis was guilty or innocent.

Whether you agree with the death penalty or not.

This is senseless and inexcusable.

We are better people than this. Or at least we should be.

“The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons.”

– Fyodor Dostoevsky

Prison bans pastor from visiting Troy Davis before execution

By: Dan Bergin, ICN

Troy Davis has been executed in Georgia. He was convicted of murder 22 years ago but always maintained his innocence.  He was 42.

The condemned man’s pastor, Rev Raphael Warnock, was not allowed to visit him during his final hours. No explanation was given. Rev Warnock, who is Senior Pastor at the Ebenezer Baptist Church said:  “We wanted to do a pastoral visit, to offer comfort and last rights if you will, to pray. It’s another insult to this injustice.”

Addressing some of his last words to the family of his alleged victim, off-duty police officer Mark MacPhail, Davis insisted that the 1989 killing was not his fault.  He said: “I was not responsible for what happened that night. I did not have a gun. I was not the one who took the life of your father, son, brother.”

He then turned to prison officials. “For those about to take my life, may God have mercy on your souls. May God bless your souls.”

Troy was then given a lethal injection. Fifteen minutes later, at 11.08pm [4.08am GMT], he was pronounced dead.

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